Red Carpet Interview - Actor R.Madhavan
- IndiaGlitz, [Wednesday,July 01 2015]
After a brief hiatus actor R.Madhavan is back with a bang. His recent Hindi film Tanu Weds Manu Returns is turning out ot be a blcokbuster film in India as well as overseas. The smart actor is also on the verge of completing his bilingual project which is Irudhi Chutru' in tamil and Saala Khadoos' in Hindi and it is also his maiden production venture.
In this exclusivie Red Carpet' interview, Madhavan, shares about TWM 2 success the reason for a break in his career, his future plans and the 15 years journey as an actor in Tamil and HindiÂ
Maddy you have come out with the biggest hit of 2015, collecting 150 crs in 30 days- tanu weds manu 2. How does it feel?
We r quite stunned ourselves we did not expect. In anand words the best thing to say would be that We are overwhelmed not by the number but by the amount of love we have been getting for the sequel. That has been the biggest achievement.
A film which is not a typical masala movie or a larger than life star has collected the 150 crores- 100 in india and 55 in overseasÂ
The real count is 150 in india theatres and 212 crores across globe.
I wish I was making some of the money but I am not (laughs)
These numbers are huge for a Hindi film. Done well in centres all over india and also outside india. How do u see this panning across the world?
It's a matter of great encouragement for people like me and Anand and everybody who actually, four and a half five years ago strugled to get the first one onto big screen.,'Tanu Weds Manu' original no one believed on it. We had to fight a better ride up to the theatres and we released it during cricket world cup, when india won the world cup. we still managed to make a din. U feel a sort of indication. end of day the whole joy is of having got together and made a film we believed in and its worked brilliantly people are loving. Money is all passy. Really with 3 idiots or Tanu weds Manu its always the kind of love that you get, that increases- as an actor or a director- our longevity in the industry, More people know you, watch you and like you and it's a huge boon. That too the cost of production of this film with the print and publicity was abt 29 crores.
TWM returns has worked across multiplexes and b & C stations in north india and in south india and worldwide. All sorts of audience have liked this movie? How come? How were u able to do that?
I think it's the brilliance of director Anand L.Rai and writer himanshu. It's a labour of love for them. They put a whole story together. I will explain it to u in film terms. There are many stories and films being made. Today's audience take a lot of efforts to go to theatres to see a movie. Its expensive. Its an effort to go through the traffic it is an effort to go and see this movie because you are so tempted to sit on ur mobile phones and everything. The biggest compliment we heard for Tanu weds Manu is that throughout the film we did not feel like touching our phones.
Its simply because it makes the film aspirational. You have super man that is aspirational. You see spider man you want to be a spider man. That makes it aspirational.
If they can go and watch Avengers in English and Hindi they all definitely go and watch any film that entertains them,. Tanu weds Manu's brilliance lies in the fact that it makes the middle class want to be aspirational. When you see high class people, you look at a Hrithik roshan he is fabulous., only in your dream can you have a guy like Hrithik roshan. But if you see a Kangana and a Maddy you feel if you have a little bit of luck if you have a little bit of effort you can be like Maddy, you can be like Kangana, you know you can achieve that. It's a goal that the middle class thinks that they can achieve. That's the beauty.
Dual role of Kangana also worked big time for this movie
Yeah she is brilliant. I think she is single handedly responsible for the success of this film. She has done a brilliant job. I mean I have never worked with an actor who is so dedicated with what she does. Its so easy for anybody to walk through it's a plot completely written for the heroine , you know you have two roles the looks are different you have a different teeth., you can easily make an impact. But she made the effort to learn Haryani. And she made an effort to have a different body language.
I think the Haryani dialogue also went very well with the audience
Exactly. Not just that it was very relatable and very collectable. The functions, funny part excitement romance emotions were there. I knew from the very beginning that this is going to be a hit.
You smelled it?
Absolutely. I am good that at (laughs). I am also good at smelling on flops. So TWM we were all very sure and we were only betting on the numbers. And I think I won. Because everybody around was betting around 125 cr. But Its close to my number 150 cr.
Worldwide theatricals ?
Theatricals alone I think it should definitely cross 155-160 cr. overseas included it should be worth 225 cr
Has the satellite rights also gone?
Not yet. Not that I know
You will get a fancy price for that? Its a time when satellite rights are sold upward of 50 cr in Hindi?
Actually it has all come down. There is a huge crash right now But whatever the rates are I am sure they will get a great rate for TWM returns
So its 250 cr easily. All rights inclusive.?
Yeah which is not bad for a 27 cr film
And Madhavan solo hero doing this kind of business?
Yeah technically it is a solo hero. But if you look at it, it is an ensemble cast Its Kangana with a double role. Its Anand rai after three hits, its Himanshu after three hits and you know a team that has already worked before.i mean its definitely a collective effort.